| Buying Office Furniture Designing an office from scratch can be a daunting task, whether it is a home office or an office at a location outside the home. At work, pleasant and task- supportive surroundings are the keys to productivity. One has to consider ergonomics and comfort, user-friendliness, organizational and storage capabilities, lighting, sound masking and personal taste. FIGURE OUT YOUR TECHNOLOGY NEEDS FIRST To ensure your user-friendly environment, you should consider your technological needs first, and then build your office around these. Your computer is generally the most important consideration. Your two main options are laptop and/or a PC; if you choose a PC you can save space on your desktop by purchasing an LCD monitor. CONSIDER SURFACE SPACE Next, factor in the space required on your desktop or nearby telephone equipment and printer(s). You may want to consider a multifunction printer/copier/fax/scanner to save room. Small accoutrements, such as stapler, hole punch, tape dispenser, pen holder or other items that you to keep handy should also be considered when planning your desktop space. Give yourself room also for a vertical document display and anything else you require to do your work. If it has not been taken into consideration in the overall design of the office as it already exist, you will also need to utilize some of the space on your desktop for movable task lighting. Finally, figure out how much space you will require for supply and document storage, ensuring the items you use most will be within easy reach. This includes your files, so it is a good idea to have filing cabinet under or next to the desk or cubicle. Consider also the space you have available for vertical storage. NOW YOU CAN PLAN YOUR SPACE Now that you have a good idea of your required desktop space, it is time to consider the layout of your office. Practical considerations include available light sources, including natural light, square footage and location of the doors and windows, as well as any other architectural details you might need to work around. You will also want to avoid having your back to the door, if possible. Your office furniture should be positioned so that your computer screen is not hit by a direct light source, so you will want to take this into consideration when determining where to position your desk. You may also need to consider the location of available cable or DSL lines, outlines and phone lines. Nothing looks worse than visible cords lying about. Once you have determined the best location, you should measure and diagram the space. Now the fun begins – it’s time for a little shopping. SHOPPING FOR OFFICE FURNITURE This is the time to compile your resources. Check the internet and local advertising for commercial office furniture Atlanta. Check out some of the internet sites for different layouts, configurations, materials, and to see what style, brand or material appeals to you. Do you like wood office furniture? Chrome and glass office furniture? Modern office furniture? Tradional office furniture? Warm tones or cool? Keep in mind that you might spend more time in your office than you do at home with your family. Take care to make it aesthetically pleasing to you, employees and your potential clients, whatever your personal taste may be. Next, take a trip to a couple of local office furniture sources on your list. Pay close attention to construction and materials, note prices and do a little comparison shopping. You may wish to consult with a professional to design the best layout for your needs; many of the better office furniture dealers in Atlanta offer this service. SOME OF THE ITEMS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER INCLUDE: • Desk, either corner or conventional, with or without a hutch • File cabinets; vertical or laterial • Book cases and/or shelving • Additional work surfaces, such as a table or computer cart with a pull out surface attached to desk or table. • A comfortable, ergonomically correct work chair and accessories. • Additional seating and storage • Cubicles new, used, remanufactured or refurbished • Conference room furniture • Training furniture • Millwork HOW TO SAVE MONEY WHEN PURCHASING OFFICE FURNITURE IN ATLANTA If shopping locally, check Sunday circulars for discounts and rebates.Use some of your internet resources to compare apples to apples. Keep in mind things like all wood vs solid wood, MDF, Vaneeer over solids, vaneer over mdf. You can also, comb pre-owned office furniture stores for all or part of your furniture needs, or bid on office furniture that is liquidating. Of course this could take a lot of your time. One of the best ways to handle is going with an Atlanta office furniture dealer that can help you with everything from new, used and remanufactured or a hybrid of all sometimes works best. Using a professional office furniture dealer will help you to continue to focus on your business while being able to be creative, and maybe your surroundings will inspire you do you best work. |







